Sometimes the only meal you can make is one with ingredients from the pantry or freezer. With that in mind, I’ve pulled together a list of recipes that you can make with freezer and pantry staples.
If these Instant Pot pantry and freezer meals can easily be made without some ingredients, or using canned ingredients, I’ve noted that below. If you’re missing an ingredient for a recipe, check out to see if there is an easy ingredient substitute available.
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Table of contents
Instant Pot meals that don’t require fresh produce
These meals don’t require fresh fruit and vegetables, and if they do I feel confident that you can make the recipe without them.
Of course removing an ingredient from a recipe alters the taste slightly. If you have any questions about adapting these recipes, leave a comment below and I’ll help you.
The recipes below are ones that I’ve chosen because the meal is still a filling and nutritious one without requiring fresh ingredients. They’re perfect when you’re in a pinch.
Most of these recipes also have stovetop/oven directions. I’ve also got ideas for 40 meals you can make without an Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Breakfasts:
In a pinch, use sweetened almond milk instead of unsweetened, another whole grain rice (black instead of brown, for example), or an egg replacement. For the baked oatmeal recipe, there are directions in the recipe for making a batch that serves 6-8 people.
Brown Rice Pudding:
- ½ cup brown rice long grain (dry)
- 1 ½ cup almond milk unsweetened, or water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Optional Toppings:
- 1 tsp cinnamon optional
- ½ cup mixed berries optional
- ¼ cup almonds optional
- 1 tsp honey optional
Steel Cut Oats:
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1/2 cup almond milk unsweetened
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp salt this keeps the oatmeal from foaming too much
- 3 cups water
Optional Toppings:
- blueberries
- almonds sliced
- unsweetened coconut
- lemon zest
- 1/2 cup oats I prefer rolled oats for this recipe.
- 1/3 cup almond milk or coconut
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup diced apples optional
- coconut oil spray optional
Instant Pot Lunches and Dinners:
For the recipes below, leave out the onions or use frozen diced onions. Leave out frozen vegetables or replace them with whatever frozen vegetables you have on hand.
- 1½ lbs chicken breasts frozen
- ½ cups brown rice uncooked
- ½ cups black beans dry (not soaked)
- 15 oz diced tomatoes low sodium and no sugar added
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1½ cups chicken stock low sodium
Optional toppings for Burrito Bowls: Romaine lettuce, Cheddar cheese and Avocado, Salsa or pico de gallo.
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat pasta elbow macaroni
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 tbsp butter unsalted, divided
- 1 â…“ cups Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
- 1 â…“ cups cheddar cheese shredded
- â…“ cup Greek yogurt plain
- ½ cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 2 lbs chicken breast defrosted, cut into strips (I've also used frozen chicken breasts, please see below)
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¾ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce not buffalo sauce
- 3 lbs beef roast chuck roast works the best
- 1 tbsp parsley
- ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried dill
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 pepperoncinis
- ¼ cup pepperoncini juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef broth low sodium
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 cup French lentils
- 1/4 cup corn kernels
- 1/4 cup black beans canned
- 1 cup diced tomatoes with green chilies with liquid
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce low sodium
- 2 cups vegetable broth low sodium, or water | none if lentils are pre-cooked
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 tsp taco seasoning
Optional Toppings: Salt and pepper, Greek Yogurt, Cilantro, and Shredded cheese
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken thighs
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 spaghetti squash cut in half and cleaned of seeds
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 14 oz can black beans drained
- 1/2 cup tomatoes diced for toppings
- 1/4 cilantro chopped for toppings
- 1 jalapeno sliced for toppings
- 2/3 cup cheddar cheese shredded for toppings
Vegan Quinoa Taco Filling:
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 14 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies or diced with jalapeños
- 15 oz black beans can, drained and rinsed
- ½ bell pepper red, diced
- 1 cup corn frozen
- 1 tsp garlic
- ½ onion diced
- 1 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 cup water
Taco Seasoning:
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
optional: salt to taste
Optional Toppings:
- lettuce I used romaine hearts
- avocado
- cilantro
- 3 lbs pork tenderloin
- 8 oz green chile salsa or diced green chiles
- 1 can Rotel or tomatoes with diced green chilies
- 2 onions sliced thick
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 4 cups whole wheat pasta dry, egg noodles
- 1 ½ cups cream of mushroom soup (homemade recipe on this site)
- 2 cups vegetables Anything you like! Mushrooms, carrots, and zucchini are good ones!
- 2 cans tuna broken up with a fork (I like Wild Planet brand)
- cheese optional, for serving
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 16 oz whole wheat pasta spaghetti
- 2 bay leaves
- 24 oz spaghetti sauce no sugar added, or homemade
Instant Pot Desserts:
These are easy treats that use only the ingredients in your pantry and refrigerator. You can use sweetened almond or coconut milk in a pinch, or even water.
- 4 tbsp butter or ghee
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp coconut milk or almond milk
- 1/3 cup brown rice flour or whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 7 tsp peanut butter 1 tsp per lava cake
Optional toppings:
- coconut whip cream
- Stevia powdered
- raspberries
Ingredients for coconut whipped cream:
- 1 can coconut milk canned, refrigerated so that it is cold
- 1 tsp Stevia optional
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp ghee or butter
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces
- 4 tbsp coconut milk or almond milk
- 1/3 cup rice flour or whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- additional dark chocolate for the center optional
Instant Pot Pantry Staple Recipes:
These are my “most made recipes!” I make them in the pressure cooker and then freeze them for later. They freeze and reheat well.
- 2 cups brown rice long or short grain
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup brown rice dry, I used short grain
- 1 cup red quinoa dry
- 3 tbsp garlic minced
- 1.5 tsp olive oil
- 2 cups water
Optional: salt to taste
- 2.5 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 package instant yeast
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 cup warm water divided
- cornmeal for dusting the counter
- 1 egg
- oil olive or avocado for coating the inner liner of your pot.
You can omit the yogurt in these recipes they’re still delicious:
For these recipes, you can leave the yogurt out if you don’t have it or want to save it for snacks. Can use canned green chiles and jalapeños when fresh is called for, and use frozen peppers and onions or completely omit them from the recipe.
- 1.5 - 2 lbs. chicken breast must be frozen to allow time for the beans to cook
- 1 cup white beans dried, washed but not soaked
- 3 green chilis fresh, diced | I used poblano
- 2 jalapeños chopped
- 1 bell pepper red, chopped, about 1 cup
- 1 onion yellow, chopped | about 1/2 cup
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
- 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 green onions diced
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 can diced green chiles or fresh
- 2 cups green chili salsa or tomatillo salsa, or green chile salsa
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes sun dried with no oil or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 2 lbs chicken breast (about 2 large breasts, diced into 1-inch cubes)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth low sodium
- 3 cups whole wheat pasta I used one 12 oz. box
- ¾ cup cottage cheese 2%
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt 2%
- 2 cups spinach baby
- ¼ cup basil fresh, or 1 tsp dried basil
- â…” cup cheese parmesan
- 1 lbs ground turkey
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole grain breadcrumbs crushed
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp allspice
- 4 tsp butter unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (garnish)
- 3 cups mushrooms sliced
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 lbs chuck roast stew meat cut in half, or cut into cubes
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp brown rice flour or whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium Tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups whole wheat pasta egg noodles
- 2 cups beef broth low sodium
- 2 cups water For Instant Pot only
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1.5 lbs frozen chicken breast (frozen for Instant Pot method because it takes extra time to cook the dry rice)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dill dried
- 1 tsp parsley dried
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup brown rice dry
- 1 cup chicken broth low sodium, 2 cups if cooking on the stove top
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
- 2/3 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 slices turkey bacon cooked and chopped
- 13 oz whole wheat pasta spaghetti noodles, dry
- 1 lb shrimp jumbo, raw and FROZEN, peeled & deveined
- 4 cups water
- 3 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup Fresno peppers diced
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp vinegar rice
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt plain, 2%
- 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce
- 1/2 cup green onions
Optional: salt to taste
- 1 lb. chicken breast or thighs diced or cut into strips
- 1 onion red, sliced
- 1 bell pepper green, sliced
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 cup whole grain pasta penne
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/3 cup cheese thickly shredded provolone & mozzarella blend cheese, Sargento is the brand I found
- 1 lb ground beef lean (can also use turkey)
- 1 cup green chiles fresh or canned, diced
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup beef broth low sodium
- 2 cups whole wheat pasta I used elbows
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt optional
- 1 â…“ cup cheddar cheese shredded, optional
If you have Greek yogurt, Cottage Cheese, or Ricotta:
These recipes use creamy ingredients as their base. You can swap these three ingredients if you have one and not the others.
- If you’re using cottage cheese or ricotta, blend the chunks out of them first so they make your recipe creamy and not chunky.
- If you are using Greek yogurt, mix with blended ricotta or cottage cheese when you can. This ensures there is no “tang” in your meal.
- You may also substitute with sour cream or cream cheese, but I have not tested with these ingredients.
- 2 lbs. chicken breast
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 3 cups water
- 4 cups whole grain pasta
- 2/3 cup cheese parmesan
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese 2%
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt 2%, plain
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 can green chilies diced, 4 oz
- 1 can jalapeños diced, or fresh (optional), 4 oz
- 1 can fiesta corn drained (it's the corn with red and green peppers in it)
- 1 cup mexican cheese shredded, unseasoned
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- ¾ cup greek yogurt plain
- 1 lb chicken breast frozen or thawed, can also use thighs
- 4 slices turkey bacon cooked and diced
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt unflavored
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp fresh dill (1/2 tsp dried)
- â…“ cup cheddar cheese optional, but included in nutrition facts
- 1 pound chicken breast about 2 breasts
- 1/3 cup vinegar I use white
- 1 cup dill pickles chopped, please see note in post about using 1/2 pickles and 1/2 cucumbers
- 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt I prefer 2%
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1/2 tbsp fresh dill chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp black pepper
- â…“ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- â…“ cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt plain
- ½ tbsp garlic minced
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 6 cups spinach fresh
- 2 cups artichoke hearts chopped, not in brine
If you have frozen vegetables:
I love stocking up on frozen vegetables to use in a pinch. These are filling and healthy recipes that you can use your frozen vegetables in.
- 1 cup red onion diced
- 2 ½ cups celery diced
- 2 ½ cup carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 cups zucchini diced
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup whole wheat pasta dry (elbows will triple in size for this recipe)
- 1/2 cup kidney beans (canned)
- 1/2 cup white beans (canned)
- 1 can diced tomatoes low sodium
- 64 ounces low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tsp basil
- 2 tsp sage
- 4 tsp garlic fresh, minced
- 2 tsp parsley
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lb ground turkey you can use beef or chicken if you'd like
- 1 medium onion chopped (any type will do!)
- 3 medium bell peppers chopped (I've added up to four peppers, and it's yummy!)
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes including the liquid
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup dry brown rice short grain
- 2 cups chicken broth or water
Seasonings:
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp pepper
- â…› tsp salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 lb mushrooms sliced. I used a gourmet blend, but baby bellas work as well
- 1 cup asparagus chopped
- 1 lb chicken thighs frozen, boneless, skinless
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 ½ cup brown rice short grain
- 5 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded
Optional: salt to taste
- 5 cups cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 lb. chicken thighs chopped
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 cups bell pepper diced
- 1 1/2 cups zucchini diced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp olive oil
Optional ingredients: Salt, Pepper, and Cheese
Meat Filling:
- 1/2 lb. ground beef lean, or ground turkey
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp brown rice flour or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup beef broth low sodium
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped
- 1/4 cup peas
- 1/4 cup corn kernels
- 1 tsp coconut aminos or low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp tomato paste low sodium
Mashed cauliflower:
- 3 cups cauliflower chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Cheese cups:
- 1 1/3 cups cheddar cheese 1/3 cup can make 3 cheese bowls
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup onion diced (about 1 onion)
- 1.5 cups carrots peeled and chopped
- 1.5 cups celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- .25 cup brown rice flour or whole wheat flour
- 4 cups chicken broth low sodium
- .75 cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
- 1 cup peas frozen
- 1 cup corn frozen
- 2 cups jicama peeled and cubed
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 jalapeño chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- 4 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
Bonus recipes from my favorite bloggers
- Mediterranean Chicken and Rice Bowl Use rice, frozen chicken, and swap out the vegetables for whatever is available or in your freezer.
- Peanut Butter Steel Cut Oats Delicious for breakfast, and can be frozen for later.
- Thai Carrot Curry Soup Carrots are one of the vegetables I’ve heard many people being able to find in their stores right now. Use peanut butter or almond butter.
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